Avani Dave, Jai Hind College
Background
Based on historical evidence, the epidemics of plant diseases have been quite destructive and continue to scar global well-being. Most of these epidemics came into existence due to international transactions and merchandising of plant materials which eventually takes the face of species declination. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is an invasive fungus and the causal agent for the ash dieback disease that was initially discovered in the 1990s. This widespread consequentially led to an epidemic witnessed on the common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) tree species in the temperate forests of Europe. Further affecting the population of Fraxinus excelsior as well as the organisms that seem to share a symbiotic association with them.
Elfstrand, M., et al. conducted a study mainly focusing on the analysis of the genomes of H. fraxineus and H. albidus, the latter being a native, displaced, non-pathogenic sister species. These sister species demonstrate a differential association with the common ash trees, such that H. fraxineus is pathogenic while H. albidus is saprophytic. They also differ in their breeding approach. Keeping the above-mentioned variations amongst the two sister species in mind, their genomes were compared with various other members belonging to Helotiales. The main aim of these analyses was to recognize signals in the genome that successfully elucidate the hasty establishment of H. fraxineus and displacement of H. albidus in the environment. The genome sequences of the two sister species were intended to be used in order to expand the understanding of the genetic mechanisms that permitted H. fraxineus to occur as an emerging infectious disease (EID) in Europe.
Results
A great level of synteny and identity was displaced when the genomes of H. fraxineus and H. albidus were compared. The assembly of H. fraxineus was seen to be 13 Mb longer as compared to that of H. albidus’, and these variations can be accredited to a high degree of distributed repeat content (i.e. transposable elements [TEs]) in H. fraxineus. The transposable elements of H. fraxineus highlighted more signs of repeat-induced point mutations in comparison with the transposable elements of H. albidus. On further comparison of the gene family expansions and 1:1 orthologs between the two species, positive selection was not evidently observed except for in selected genes.
Conclusion
Concluding the study, it is evident that the genome of both the species share a high degree of synteny, and have abundant TEs and BGCs, but when the genomic signatures were analyzed it was seen that H. albidus may not be as well-equipped as H. fraxineus in adapting and maintaining an ecological niche on being subjected to an ever-changing environment. This can be credited to the difference in the evolution of specific metabolite profiles that the species have experienced over the time of their divergence. Further, based on the genomic signatures in H. albidus it is also hypothesized that the species’ transition to homothallism (selfing) resulted in an ill-equipped adaptation. The above factors successfully took the research to a point of greater understanding of how and why H. fraxineus led to an emerging infectious disease (EID) in Europe.
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Source: Elfstrand, M., Chen, J., Cleary, M. et al. Comparative analyses of the Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and Hymenoscyphus albidus genomes reveals potentially adaptive differences in secondary metabolite and transposable element repertoires. BMC Genomics 22, 503 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-021-07837-2
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Author Info: Avani Dave is currently in the final year of her bachelor’s degree, majoring in Life Sciences. Holding a good academic and extra-curricular record, she is on a constant journey of acquiring exposure in her field of interest while simultaneously not limiting herself to just that. Avani likes studying Diseases and Syndromes and everything under this umbrella! That being said, she is adept at working across departments and promises to deliver.
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